Having something to ride nearby is magic. It might take forever to get a spot or a ramp going, but by showing the city that there is a scene that needs a place to ride, you can get things done. The hard part is not to give up. These plans take longer than you want, always. In the meantime you can gather more riders to get behind you. In a world where more and more kids spend time behind the game consul, TV, ipad or with a phone in their hand, it's time to let them play outside. Thankfully we got a dirt spot in Brandevoort and a concrete park right next to it. If I open the front door I can almost see it, it's that close.
Once you have your spot it needs to be maintained. That falls back in your lap. The concrete park doesn't need much effort. An outdoor dirt spot however does need some love from time to time. Next to that, throwing a jam from time to time is a good idea. It gets people motivated to get the jumps and turns back in shape and it brings the scene back together. For people who have to come from far, they know the trails are in good shape for a nice session that day. Also the local community gets to see what those 'piles of dirt' are actually for.
The annual Flame Trails jam took place on 9 April on the sunniest day of the year. It was an afternoon full of dirt jumping with little goodies for the riders that were supplied by the supporters of the jam (Haro Bikes/TwinAir). Riders were pushed to take it a little further than normal and basically everyone
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.